At the recommendation of a friend (and good client of his), I set an appointment with Ariel Arlin two weeks in advance, and drove 18 miles from my home to his salon. The moment I arrived, the type of welcome I encountered should have been a portent of the kind of treatment I was about to receive.\r
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Ariel seemed confused, and tossed out three different names until I corrected him and told him who I was. He instructed me to find a seat and wait. \r
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His assistant offered me coffee -- the only positive thing to happen there, as they have great coffee -- and I proceeded to read the only magazine available, and to wait patiently for thirty minutes past my appointment time. When, at that point, I saw Ariel take another customer into his chair, I approached him and asked, ""wasn't my appointment for 11:30 am""? Ariel sarcastically responded, ""and""? I pointed out that it was now 12 noon, and he responded (in Spanish), ""you're not cool"". He then said to the interloping client, ""she (I) can find another hairdresser if she wants to"". \r
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When I heard that, I wanted to walk away, but I had driven quite a distance, and decided to give this man the benefit of the doubt. But fifteen minutes later, as I continued to wait patiently for the second client to be finished, Ariel approached me and gave me a lecture about how in his 25 years of business, he had never been so disrespected by someone, and that I should remember that when I go to the doctor, they make me wait as well. He stated that he did not feel like serving me, and walked away. \r
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This review pertains to the treatment of a customer, and not the hair styling service itself, because obviously I never got my hair cut. One of the things that charmed me when I was first told about this man was that he, apparently, provides pro bono service to some abused and battered women. I thought that was the kind of small business I should support. Instead, I left, feeling battered and abused myself. If you don't want to feel worthless and condescended to, do not patronize this establishment!
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